Faulkner University’s “Marching Eagles” band is shaping the rhythm of campus life as the department of music expands opportunities for student musicians and establishes new leadership for its growing program.
In just one year, the Faulkner University Band has grown from 13 members to 50, a transformation that has energized the department and elevated school spirit during football and basketball games, pep rallies and away games.
The growth follows the hiring of Robby Glasscock as director of bands and Michael Bird as assistant director of bands. The longtime collaborators came to Faulkner from Tallassee City Schools, where they spent 20 years together building a respected and competitive music program.
Bird dedicated much of the past year to traveling the state, visiting schools and sharing Faulkner’s vision with band directors and students. The effort paid off.
“It was hard work, but it’s been rewarding to see the department quadruple in size,” Bird said. “Faulkner is all in when it comes to growing the university. We are trying to build a culture on campus where students feel welcomed from start to finish. A place where they can know and be known.”
That culture extends beyond rehearsals and performances. The directors have prioritized creating meaningful experiences for students, from traveling to Nashville to perform at an away football game and explore the city’s music scene to team-building outings at Montgomery Whitewater and movie nights at the Faulkner football stadium.
“We want our band students to feel like they are a part of something special,” Bird said. “It’s a great way for us to build those connections with them that are both entertaining and fun.”
Bird, a Montgomery native and graduate of Robert E. Lee High School, earned his bachelor’s degree in music education and master’s degree in education from Troy State University. During a 28-year career in public education, including 20 years in Tallassee, he founded the Tallassee Jazz Festival, hosted the Capital City Classic show choir competition and produced annual stage musicals while directing multiple choirs and assisting with band programs.
The Faulkner University Band, the university’s largest instrumental ensemble, performs as the “Marching Eagles” in the fall and as the concert band in the spring. Membership is open to music majors and nonmusic majors, and students are selected by audition.
Scholarships beginning at $16,000 per year are available to qualified applicants regardless of major. Students eligible for the marching band may receive close to 70 percent off tuition, a significant draw for recruitment.
Another major recruiting event is Mass Band Day, held each fall in conjunction with Homecoming. In fall 2025, the event drew a record crowd and became the largest attended athletic event in university history. Eight high schools brought more than 400 students to campus to perform alongside the Marching Eagles during halftime.
Participants received lunch, a T-shirt and the opportunity to connect with admissions counselors and program directors during a college fair before the game. Feedback from visiting students, parents and directors was overwhelmingly positive.
Glasscock, an Elmore County native, earned his bachelor’s degree in music education from Troy State University in 2000. He later completed a master’s degree from Alabama State University and earned both an education specialist degree and a doctorate in music education from Auburn University. After briefly teaching in Albany, Georgia, he returned to Alabama and served 24 years as band director at Tallassee City Schools. He was recognized as one of the “50+ Directors Who Make a Difference” by School Band and Orchestra Plus magazine.
At Faulkner, Glasscock oversees the marching band and concert band. He describes his transition from middle and high school settings to a private Christian university as a blessing.
“Coming from a middle school, then a high school and now a college band, there has been a progression,” Glasscock said. “I really enjoy building these relationships with students at a college level. They are in a different stage of their lives and it’s a blessing to help prepare them for their careers and for real life.”
He said the university’s faith-based environment enhances those relationships.
“Being at a private institution is a positive in every way,” Glasscock said. “Students have the freedom to stop by my office just to talk about their day or about their classes. It’s nice to have those opportunities.”
In addition to marching and concert bands, Faulkner is home to the “Swingin’ Eagles,” a traditional jazz combo and big band that performs music from swing, bebop, funk and fusion styles. The group, overseen by Bird, presents at least one on-campus concert each semester and hosts the annual Faulkner Jazz Festival each spring, typically welcoming about six schools from across the state.
The program’s momentum shows no signs of slowing. New band uniforms are currently in development and will mark the first redesign since the original uniform debuted in 2009.
